Automatic sprinkler head for sprinkling systems



May 3, 1927. 1,626,863

H. M. ,NACEY AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER HEADFORSPRINKLING SYSTEMS Filed April 23, 1923 MIZLWI'I 1 0): HARRY /7. A/Acey Patented May 3, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY M. NACEY, OF CHICAGO. ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER HEAD FOR SPRINKLING SYSTEMS.

Application filed April 23, 153' assembled, the Board of Laboratory Underwriters of the City of Chicago and the Associated Factory of Mutual Laboratories, of Boston, have heretofore required as a condition precedent to the use of such sprinkler heads, that, following their assemblage and the final adjustment of their tension-screw, a perforation be bored through one wall, thence through the tension-screw and into the opposing wall of the support for the tension-screw, and a pin be driventherein for holding the screw in its tensioned position.

In practice, however, the use of a pin so located has not been satisfactory for the reason that the pin is accessible for being pulled, bored or-elsejolted out, as not in frequently happens. I

The prime object of my invention broadly stated, is to provide an automatic sprinkler head with a simple and effective means permz-inently locking the tension-screw in its adjusted position.

l\![orespecifically stated, the object ot my invention is an automatic sprinkler head, the adjusted tension-screw of which. is permanently and inaccessibly locked in its operative position by means of metal displaced from the tension-screw support.

A further object of my invention is an assembled sprinkler head, the adjusted ten sion-screw or which is permanently and in accessibly locked in its operative position by means of metal displaced from the sprinkler head support, projecting between and in wardly' beyond the threads of the tensionscrew. i

dVith these ends in view, my invention finds embodiment in certain features of novelty in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts by which the said obt its and certain other objects are attained,

. all ashereinafter fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings and more fully pointed out in the claims.

In said drawings,

Fig.1 illustrates, in vertical section, an automatic sprinkler head in which my in vention' finds its embodiment.

14:, for

Serial. No. 633,839.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the tension-screw and its support; and

Fig. 3 displacement of the screw-threads of the tension-screw and theposition of the metal of the support forced between the threads of the tension-screw. I

Similar characters of reference indicate the same parts in lZ-liG SeVGl'Ll' figures of the drawing. i

In said drawing, 4 indicates a nozzle externally screw-threaded for connecting it to the water supply pipe of a sprinkling system, which nozzle is provided with a rim5, forming a seat for a cap 6 of any commonly employed construction, normally closing and preventing leakage of the water.

Secured to the nozzle,integrally or otherwise, is the usual yoke 7, provided at .its apex with a perforated support 8, upon the upper end of which is mounted a deflector 9, said support 8 being provided with a screwtlrreaded perforation '10, located in axial ahnement with tl'iedischarge opening of the nozzle, in which perforation is a, tensionscrew 11 provided with screw-threads 11 fOPRCljUStlIlg the tension-screw to compress the toggles.

The top cap 6 and the end of the tension screw are provided with recesses into which are projected toggle joints12, 12, the upper member of the toggle joint being provided with asimilar recess receiving the lower. toggle joint, which toggle joints are each provided with outwardly projecting levers 13, 18, terminating at their ends inhooks 14, connecting therewitl'ra fusible link by means of perforations 16, 16, through, which the hooks l t, 14: are projected. The fusible link 15, l'1owever, together with all other parts and theirarrangement in the sprinkler head so far be of any other form and construction adaptedfor the permanent locking of the tension-' screw in its adjusted operativev position against the iiossibility of detachment provided for by my invention now to be described. V j l \Vith this un(lei-standing, my invention its embodiment in an automatic sprinkler head, the tension-screw of which is pcrnnmently locked in its adjusted position by a displaced portion of n'ietal projec-ted .andfcompressed between the threads of the adjusting screw, which projected metalv locks the adj Listing screw in its supillustrates diagrammatically the described, may

port and, being inaccessible from without, prevents the possibility of tan'ipering with or moving the screw from its adjusted position in the support.

To these ends, it is now to be noted that the hole 17 indicates the displacement inwardly of the metal of the support by means of a manually or machine-operated punch 18 and the projection of the displaced .l'netal into the threads of the tension-screw with an impact the force of which is sufficient for the projected metal to destroy that portion of the thread of the support opposed thereto to spread the opposing threads 21 and 22 of the tensionscrew opposed thereto and, as may be, to project the displaced metal of the support inwardly beyond the threads into the body of the tension-screw, and to compress the diametrically opposing threads of the tension-screw into the threads of the support, more than normally tight, and so tight that they appear to form an integral part thereof.

For carrying out my invention, following the assembling of a fusible link and the required adjustment of the tension-screw for imparting to the toggle joint the desired number of pounds pull against the fusible link, the support is placed upon an anvil or in a punch press, followed by forcibly driving the punch into the support for displacing a sufficient amount of metal, as indicated at 17, and forcing the displaced metal inwardly.

As indicated at 18, the punching force operates to accordingly mutilate the threads atthis point in the support, drive the displaced metal between and spread the threads in the tension-screw directly opposed thereto and may be inwardly beyond the threads into the body of the tension-screw and dis tor-ting the support, separate the threads of the support from the threads of the tensionscrew, as indicated at 21 and 22, and at the same time tightening the intermeshing threads of both of these devices, all. as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

\Vhile Fig. 1 corresponds in size to the full-sized sprinkler head, the support and tensioirscrew of which are in section, as shown in said drawing, the enlargement in 2 of the tension-screw and its support more accurately and clearly shows in detail the results attributable to my invei'ition, and furnishes the evidence that a displacement of the metal in the support: and the screw-threads in the tension-screw not only permanently locks the tension-screw in its adjustment, but by devices wholly inaccessible at any time and by any means for unlocking them without:- destroying both the screw and its support, together with the sprinkler head.

It should be particularly noted in a consideration of my invention, that it proposes the ineetting of a portion of the material of the support for the purpose which has now been clearly brought out, by means applied to the external surface of the support and the operation of which means, for the stated purpose, results in the fornultioi'i of an indentation so visible to the eve as to indicate upon the bricfest inspection that the operation wl'ureby the tension screw locked in the manner and for the purpose set forth, has been accomplished. This greatly facilitates inspection by the Fire Underwriters, and also brings about another advantage in so far as inspection is concerned since the depth of the indentation and thus the extent to which the punch has entered the surface of the support may be readily gaged. Obviously, the material of the support can be inset to more or less temporarily loclr the tension srew without the results sought by this invention, or in other words, without so securing the tension screw in connection with the support as to prevent their disassociation and reuse. It is an easy matter to establish how deeply the support must be punched or indented to bring the above about, and knowing this required depth, it is a very easy matter upon inspection to determine that the required depth of punching has been accomplished, by gaging the depth of the in dentation.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A sprinkler head comprising an internal screw threaded support, a tension screw adjusted therein, said support having a visible external surface indentation resulting in an insetting of a portion of the material thereof, with a consequent mutilation of a portion of the threads of the tension screw sufficient for permanently loclo ing the screw in its adjusted positiomthereby preventing the removal of the tension screw without destroying it for future use.

2. The herein described method for inaccessibly permanently locking the tension screw in its adjusted position in the sup port of a sprinkler head and preventing their separation thereafter for subsequent use, the same consisting in first adjusting the tension screw and then in applying to the external surface of the support a punch with suiiicicnt force to mutilate a portion of opposing threads thereof. and project the mutilated threads in a body from the support inwardly beyond the screw threaded surface of the tension screw and at the same time form a depression in the external surface of the support by which. the extent of the n'uitilation can be readily gaged.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 19th day of April, 1923.

HARRY M. NACEY.

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